This post talks about what to include on your team's website. It's part of our series on sports engagement.
The power of a sports team’s website is undeniable.
In many cases, it’s your team’s first introduction to the outside world and, if done right, it can seamlessly communicate important and necessary information to your players and fans.
Despite the fact that 86.75% of the U.S. population uses the internet, many sports programs struggle to maximize their site’s potential. Below are seven important things you should include on your website.
About Page
The About section of your website is arguably the most important, as it explains who you are and what you stand for. Consider including your team’s philosophy, mission statements, recent achievements for a comprehensive overview.
Team Schedules
Nothing is more frustrating to team parents than ambiguous practice and game schedules. Save yourself the hassle of responding to countless schedule-related emails by making them easily accessible on your website.
Live and Archived Streams
There are people who care about your team that won’t be able to attend games. Help them stay connected by streaming your games directly onto your site.
Keep in mind that the quality of your stream is something your fans care about. Fans are used to watching their favorite games on the big screen and this expectation for high quality doesn’t suddenly disappear when watching youth or amateur sports. Here are some things your online fans want you to know about your streams.
Contact Information
The Contact page is essential to every website. Most people who navigate to your website with a specific goal in mind. If they can’t find what they're looking for, they’ll want to contact the team directly. Make your contact information easily accessible to ensure that you don’t miss a potential player, parent, sponsor, or fan. Include a phone number, email address, and links to your social media accounts to make it easy to get for someone to get in touch with you.
Team Photos and Videos
Photos and videos give you the opportunity to bring your team to life. Between the hard work put in at practice, the hilarious team bus rides, and the nail-biting games, sports are filled with memorable moments. Capture them and post them on your site! Parents and fans will love getting a sneak peek into what makes the team so special on – and off – the court. Ask fans to send in some of their favorite pictures of the players and games for some additional material.
Sponsors
Working with sponsors is a great way for sports teams to raise funding in a way that is mutually beneficial way to the team and sponsor. Plus, a team with multiple sponsors shows that they're integrated into the community. If you’re looking for sponsorship, you’ll find that the task becomes much easier if your website has a section dedicated specifically to them.
Volunteer Opportunities
The hard work of volunteers is often instrumental to the success of sports programs. Still, finding capable volunteers isn’t always easy. Consider dedicating part of your site to your volunteers. In addition to showing thanks for the ones you currently have, use the site to post volunteer opportunities. Many people would love to volunteer and simply don’t know how to get involved.
If you'd like to build a website for your team, or improve what you have, we recommend working with our friends at SportsEngine, the popular platform that makes it easy for anyone to build and manage a website for their team.
Final Thoughts + Further Reading
Your website is an amazing way to communicate essential information with your team, parents, and fans. Still, it’s not the only channel. Social media accounts are great platforms to share immediate information with the public, including game play-by-plays and season stats.
Experts suggest that to make the most of social media, you should post three or more times a day on Twitter, twice a day on Facebook, and once or twice each day on Instagram. Producing that level of content requires a large investment of time and often isn’t something you can easily do on top of your other responsibilities. Here's why every team needs a social media manager.
Photo Used with Permission from St. Ignatius High School
